Process of and box for packing sensitized material



No. 6I9,097. Patented'Fab. 7,'l899'. M. J. STEFFENS.

PROCESS OF AND BDX FOR PACKING SENSITIZED MATERIAL.

(Application filed. Oct. 3, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES MATHEW J. STEFFENS,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF-AND BOX FOR PACKING SENSITIZED MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,097, dated February7, 1899.

Application filed October 3 1898. Serial No. 692,469. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, MATHEW J. STEFFENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, Illinois, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Processes of and Boxes for Packing Sensitized Material,of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view ofmy improved packing-box, the outer parts being clamped and sealedtogether; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the bottom portion of the box;Fig. 3, a perspective View of the cover; Fig. 4:, a perspective view ofthe contents of the box removed therefrom; Fig. 5, a plan view of thebox with the cover removed, showing the contents in position; and Fig.6, a transverse sectional view on line 6 of Fig. 1.

In packing sensitized paper, plates, and similar material for use orshipment according to the present practice there is no way of preventingthe air and moisture from coming into contact therewith, andconsequently no way of preventing the same from being injured andspoiled.

The object of my invention is to obviate this difficulty; and, statedgenerally, the invention consists in practically excluding air andmoisture from the boxes or packages containing the sensitized materialthrough the agency of heat, and thereby permitting the packing andshipping of the same.

In making my improved packing-box I make one part A, which I call thebottom or lower part, of suitable size, shape, and material, and anotherpart B, which I call the top or cover, in form to fit over the same,

its sides and ends I) extending down so that the the box consist,essentially, of two plates 0,

made of glass, fiber, hard rubber, or other suitable material,sensitized paper, plates, or other material D between the plates 0, anda spring or springs E between one of said plates and the bottom or coverof the box. The

construction and arrangement of these parts will be apparent from thedrawings, particularly Fig. 4; but of the springs it maybe said that Ipreferto make them in the form shown, so that their central portion willrest against one of the plates 0 and their ends extend upwardly ordownwardly, so as to come in contact with the cover or bottom near theseveral corners thereof. This arrangement of the springs prevents themfrom bulging or bursting out the top or bottom when the parts arepressed and clamped together. As shown,two separate springs are usedcrossing each other diagonally but these springs may be riveted orotherwise fastened together, or different forms of springs may be used,as desiredas, forinstance, vertical coil-springs. If desired, springsmay be used on each side of the plates 0, so as to come in contact withboth the bottom and cover; but generally a spring or springs on one sidewill be sufficient.

In putting in the contents I first put one of the plates 0 in the bottomportion of the box and on this plate put the sensitized plates, paper,or other material, which is preferably made of a slightly-smaller size,as shown in Fig. 4, so as to not come in contact with the sides of thebox. The sensitized paper, plates, and material being thus put in, Iputthe sec- 0nd plate 0 thereon and place the springs in position on thisplate. I then put on the cover, the sides and ends of which fit downover the bottom portion of the box, as above described, and the coverbeing forced down to the desired position I turn the lips or flangesinwardly and down into contact with the bottom of the box, thus clampingall the parts closely and firmly together, as shown in Fig. 1. The boxand plates 0 should, of course, be kept warm while the sensitizedmaterial is being put in, and when everything is in place, as abovedescribed, the box should, of course, be sealed, as at a, beforecooling, so as to prevent the entrance of air. When it is desired totake out the contents, the seal is destroyed and the lips or flangesunclamped, after which all the parts may be readily separated or takenapart.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that my device differsin principle from those employed in the hermetic packing of foodcompounds in that in the latter cases the air is excluded and the heatis employed to get rid of. the germs of fermentation, while in my casethe air is excluded and heat is applied for the purpose of getting ridof the moisture in or on the sensitized material,

which, as is well known, will, if present, soon destroy the same. Iaccomplish this result by first applying a suitable pressure, whichexcludes most of said moisture, and then heating the paper and plates,which expels the remaining portion, and then by suitably sealing the boxor package the contents are preserved for an indefinite time.

I claim 1. The process of preserving sensitized material which consistsin packing the same, heating the package and sensitized material toexclude moisture and hermetically sealing the same, substantially asdescribed.

2. 'The process of preserving sensitized material which consists inpacking the same,sub-

jecting the sensitized material to pressure,

heating the package and sensitized material and hermetically sealing thesame, whereby substantially all moisture is prevented from entering saidpackage, substantially as described.

3. A package containing sensitized material and consisting of plates forholding said material, means for excluding moisture and for holding thesame under pressure and for hermetically sealing said package wherebysubstantially ,all moisture is prevented from ,rentering the same,substantially as described.

4. A packing-box comprising abody portion, a covering portion fittingover the body portion and having lips or flanges turned inwardly thereonand securely clamping and holding the two portions together, two platesinside the box, one at each side of the sensitized material, and aspring or springs for compressing said material, and means for excludingmoisture and preventing the reentrance of the same into-the box,substantially as described. I

5. In a packing-box, the combination of two plates, one at the bottomand one at the top of the box, sensitized material between the plates ofa size slightly smaller than the same, and a spring or springs forcompressing the same and means for excluding moisture by heating andpreventing the reentrance of the v same into the box, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a package for holding sensitized material, the combination of atop and bottom portion, two plates formed of glass or similar materialarranged in the package one at the top and one near the bottom thereof,sensitized material between the plates of a size slightly smaller thanthe plates, and a spring or springs inside the package and between oneof the plates and the top or bottom portion, and means for heating andsealing the package, whereby moisture is expelled and prevented fromrenterin g the same, substantially as described.

7. In a package for holding sensitized material, the combination of twoplates formed of glass or similar material arranged one at the top andone at the bottom thereof, sensitized material between the plates of asize slightly smaller than the plates, and means for heating and holdingthe plates with the interposed material under pressure and sealing thepackage, whereby moisture is expelled and excluded from the same,substantially as described.

MATHEW J. STEFFENS.

Witnesses:

EPHRAIM BANNING, ANNIE O. COURTENAY.

